The 21-year-old talent has been linked with the Catalunya club, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich heavily over the past few months, though he remains rooted in South America.

Felipao, who entered his second stint as Selecao head coach late last year, thinks that it would be tough to join the Blaugrana now and hopes for the sake of the national team that Neymar stays in his homeland until after World Cup 2014.

"Neymar should have gone to Barca two years ago, but now it is better that he stays at Santos," declared Scolari to reporters today.

"How would he adapt? Would he be by himself? Would he start games? Would he play in this star-studded Barcelona team?

"For the World Cup of 2014 and for Brazil, it is preferable that he does not go right now."

Neymar was named alongside the likes of Kaka, Dante, Dani Alves and Lucas Moura is Scolari’s squad announcement on Tuesday ahead of friendly games against Italy and Russia in mid-March.